First Day Back
by Loopstagirl
Summary: One morning each year, complete and utter chaos reigns in the Tracy household.   Written for Silver Bee!


**Disclaimer: I still own absolutely nothing!**

**Written as a "I-hope-she-survives-first-day-back" pressie for Silver Bee! You said you needed help, you got it! ;)**

**Please remember to review and let me know what you think, it would meant the absolute world to me!**

There was definitely a gloomy feel to the Tracy house on that damp, Monday morning. A light drizzle was trickling down the windows, making the outside world look cold and uninviting, whilst at the same time reinforcing the cosiness of the inside. It just gave the boys yet another reason for not wanting to leave.

"John, you haven't got your lunch yet!" The father of five yelled up the stairs, whilst at the same time trying to peer under the sofa. It was the same every year, utter chaos reigning in the house whilst Jeff tried to organise the masses he called his sons. At least this year, it was only four of them going back, but Scott had flatly refused to help his father on this, knowing full well what his brothers' were going through. The eldest child of the billionaire ex-astronaut had instead barricaded himself in his room, claiming he wanted to watch the fun from a safe distance.

Slowly pulling himself up from the floor, Jeff winced as his knees cracked their protest. Typical Alan, he just had to lose his shoe on the morning he was going back. In fact, Jeff was convinced he had hidden it himself, making life as awkward as possible. He did seem to be taking after Gordon a bit too much in that respect.

"I'm buying, that's why!" A voice yelled back down the stairs, making no attempt to move any closer to his father to deliver the message. For one moment, Jeff couldn't remember what the question had been in the first place, shouts had roamed across the house all morning, slowly getting more and more heated.

"Can someone please make sure Virgil has his butt out of bed?"

"Having problems, Dad?" Glancing around, Jeff stood in the middle of their lounge, hands on his hips as he regarded the mess that had been made searching for the missing shoe. Scott was leaning on the door frame, arms folded casually across his chest, one ankle crossed behind the other. His relaxed posture made Jeff roll his eyes. This time, he was certain his son was doing it deliberately.

"I don't suppose you'll give your old man a hand and make sure your brother is up?"

"Which one?" Scott responded with a smirk, knowing full well who his father meant, he had heard the shout, after all. "I do have several."

Glaring at the smile on Scott's face, Jeff just looked at his son rather pointedly, causing Scott to unfold his arms, throwing his hands up in mock surrender.

"Ok, ok, I'm going. Oh, and Dad, trying looking on top of the garage, that is where he put it last year."

"Daaaaaad!" Sighing irritably at the whining tone coming down the stairs, Jeff breathed in deeply through his nose. In just over half an hour, peace would fall and he could get back to the normal routine the Tracy patriarch was used too. It happened every year, Jeff forgetting how much he hated the morning of going back to school after the holidays, being reminded far too quickly as chaos broke loose, then forgetting again by the time the next year came around. He had no idea how Scott used to be able to organise them on his own, but maybe his brothers helped more than they were doing so for their father.

"What, Gordon?" Jeff asked, trying as hard as possible to keep his tone neutral. His red head came bounding into the room, a pair of shorts clutched dramatically in his hand.

"They don't fit! And I have PE today; she'll put me in detention on my first day back if I don't have the right kit."

"That would be a new record, Gordy," Alan called happily as he passed the room. Judging by the way he was almost skipping about the house, Jeff knew full well he was not looking for his shoe like he was supposed to be.

"Take Virgil's old ones, they should fit you enough. Gordon, I asked you a few weeks ago whether you had tried them on and you said they fit."

"I must have grown," the teenager responded adamantly, looking his father straight in the eye. With most people, the eye contact meant they were telling the truth, but Jeff had come to notice that when Gordon was lying outright, he tended to be able to look someone in the eye. It was most disconcerting.

"Just….go and get a pair off Virgil. And make sure he is up."

"Fine," Gordon muttered, somewhat sullenly as he stalked from the room, causing his father to raise his eyebrows at his retreating back. Where had that attitude come from?

"John! Are you ready yet?"

"Yep." Shaking his head, Jeff should have known. John would have probably been ready hours ago, shutting himself in his room and diving into this year's text books, automatically putting himself ahead of everyone in his year.

"Can you help Alan find his shoe?"

"I don't need help!"

"You haven't found it yet, have you?"

"Erm…no?"

"Then get John to help you."

"What? Dad! I'm busy!"

"John!"

"Fine." Sitting himself down on the sofa he had previously been peering under, Jeff leant back with an explosive sigh. He was sure last year hadn't been as bad, but then again, that was when Alan had been mildly enthusiastic about school and Virgil had been anxious to get back to see some girl. This year, none of the boys had a reason why they wanted to return, meaning they were pulling out all of the stops to make life as hard as possible. What they expected to achieve from it, Jeff had no idea, it only made their father more anxious for them to go, definitely not to stay at home any longer.

"Daddy?" Resisting the urge to groan, Jeff glanced over towards the door to see a small blond head poking around it. Pouting as much as he could, Alan slipped into the room and onto the sofa next to his father.

"Feel sick, Daddy."

"Do you, Sprout?" Jeff asked, ruffling Alan's hair and trying not to smile. "I expect that is because you know you shouldn't have hidden your shoe."

"What, Dad, no. My tummy feels really strange."

"Let me see it then." Jeff responded, causing Alan to draw back and lift his t-shirt up. Pretending to look at it thoughtfully, Jeff bent in close. With a quick lunge, he sprang forward, planting a huge raspberry on his son's stomach and causing Alan to yelp.

"Eww, Dad."

"Does it feel better now? Go on, son, go and find your shoe." Scuffing from the room and muttering things about gross fathers and the unfairness of it all, Alan disappeared again. Smiling fondly at the well used antics, Jeff knew without having to think that one of them always felt sick on the first morning. Strangely enough, after receiving no sympathy, they miraculously felt better within a couple of minutes. In fact, it was with a smile that Jeff knew he himself had pulled that trick on his parents more than once. It always amazed him they tried it year after year, as if they hadn't learn it would get them nowhere.

"GORDON!"

"What now?" Jeff muttered, reluctantly pulling himself off the sofa. At least it meant Virgil was awake if not up, yet there had been a strange note in his voice, almost as if it was more than just a rude awakening from his younger brother.

"Scott! Get in here quick!" Alarm taking place of his previous amusement, Jeff went tearing up the stairs, barrelling into Virgil's room a couple of seconds after his eldest son. Virgil and Scott were both standing by the window, holding onto Gordon's leg and belt respectively as the red head dangled out of the window. With a slight gasp, Jeff immediately joined his sons in pulling their brother back through the window. Setting Gordon back on his feet, Jeff looked sternly at his son, wondering whether he should feel worried by the huge grin plastered on the prankster's face.

"Gordon Cooper Tracy, what have we said about windows?"

"But Dad, look…" And with a flourish, Gordon pulled a very familiar looking shoe out from behind his back. "I don't know how he got it up there, but Allie got it up the apple tree."

"Even so, you do not go climbing out of the windows, no matter what. You come and get me or your brothers, do you understand?"

"I also got Virgil up for you," Gordon muttered, a pout that could challenge his only younger brother's making its way onto his face.

"Gordon, that is not the point. You do _not _climb out of the window. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good boy. Now, go and give Alan his shoe back and tell him we leave in five minutes." Turning to his other sons, Jeff groaned in frustration. "No, Virgil, you can't go back to bed. We have to go, get dressed now."

"Don't wanna go," Virgil muttered, burying his head in his pillows. His temper beginning to get the best of him, Jeff opened his mouth, only to be stopped by a hand on his arm.

"I'll handle this, you sort out the terrible two," Scott muttered quietly, his eyes twinkling in amusement. Normally, Jeff would want to know what Scott had up his sleeve that made him think he could get Virgil out of bed, but right now, Jeff didn't care. He would just be thankful if it worked.

Striding from the room, Jeff froze outside of Virgil's door, hearing thuds come from below. Knowing he should probably stop his two youngest from killing each other, Jeff instead turned and walked the other way, knocking lightly on John's door before letting himself in. Sure enough, the older blond was up, sitting at his desk with his feet up, engrossed in a book.

"Johnny? We're leaving in five."

"Mmm hmm."

"Make sure your downstairs."

"Mmm." Knowing he would get no other answer from John whilst he was reading, Jeff left again, pulling the door shut behind him, once more trying to put off going downstairs. Not wanting to face any more chaos, Jeff instead opted to sit on the top of the stairs, resting his head against the wall and shutting his eyes, hoping that when he opened them, peace would have once more fallen. They weren't even this bad during the holidays, each having their own interests to keep them occupied. It was just something about it being the first day back at school after a break that meant absolute anarchy.

Hearing footsteps move past him with a small chuckle, Jeff opened his eyes to see Scott heading downstairs, followed by…Blinking, Jeff stared in surprise. Virgil was not only up, but dressed as well. Whilst he was still trying to figure out how that was even possible, John also walked past him, bag swung over his shoulder and almost hitting his father on the way down.

"Dad, you ready to go?" Following Scott's voice down the stairs, Jeff heaved himself up and set off, wondering what on earth he was going to find when he got down there.

To his surprise, four of his boys were standing practically in a line, completely ready to go whilst Scott walked up and down in front of them, running his eyes over the state of his brothers.

"How-?" Stunned beyond words, Jeff shook his head, bewildered, and picked up the car keys instead. He would never ever know how Scott managed it, but he was just thankful he could. Until next year that was, when the youth would already have left for Yale. He still had a week left at home this year, but next would be a different story. With a slight groan of having to cope on his own on the first day, Jeff shepherded the boys out of the door and into the car, ready for the various drop off points. Watching them go with a sad smile, Scott was glad to know he still had the power over them, could still make his brothers follow his orders. He didn't know why, but the aspiring pilot had a really strange feeling that somewhere in the future, it would be a matter of life and death whether they listened to him or not. Shaking his head at the randomness of his thoughts, Scott softly shut the door as the car pulled off the drive. Another first day back at school morning complete.


End file.
